


Songbird

by Gigi_Bell



Series: Fantasy [12]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Arranged Marriage, Blood, Blood Drinking, Creature Discrimination, Elf Culture & Customs, Elf Park Chanyeol, M/M, Multi, Romance, Vampire Byun Baekhyun, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:15:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28281528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gigi_Bell/pseuds/Gigi_Bell
Summary: All his life Chanyeol had been preparing to meet a beast, to hide away and hate his husband for rumored cruelty and disgusting looks.But, standing in front of him he truthfully felt endeared by the man.(Lord Chanyeol of the Elves is married off to Lord Byun of the Vampires)
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol
Series: Fantasy [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2055237
Comments: 8
Kudos: 96





	Songbird

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Fleursdexo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fleursdexo/gifts).



  
“Then it’s set.” 

Chanyeol watched the ease with which his father walked around the room, a book tucked under his arm and a full audience to watch him.

His fate sat in this moment, he gritted his teeth and held his hands together so tightly he felt his hidden expression begin to come out.

“There is only one real offering for this.” 

He dropped his chin to his chest and felt the anxiety begin to fill his chest as clapping began.

It was an honor, but surely didn’t feel that way at all.

“I offer my son, Park Chanyeol,” A hand clasped around his shoulder and the crowd grew louder, “He should keep our peace - it's only right.” 

Chanyeol felt like his feet were made of steel when he was pulled from his seat, his village greeting him with fond smiles and kisses to his cheeks, each taking their time to say their gratitude.

One would think he was leaving right this second and not days from now, he needed time to prepare after all.

See, there was a clash between species these days.

The banshees, the werewolves, the humans - all fighting and yet the elves worried for only _one_ alliance that could save them.

One that has kept centuries of fighting between elves and _vampires_ at bay. 

Rumor had it vampires didn't abide completely by their alliance - that they stole, they took people, they raided for blood.

None of that was proven just as Chanyeol knew his father - the eldest living knight in their village - had _“no idea”_ of how a vampire's ashes filled their grass occasionally.

It was ironic, a creature unseen by his twenty three years was said to be the most atrocious and terrifying thing seen by man and yet he _hadn’t seen it._

Vampires were strange, and they disappeared at a blink, Chanyeol had caught cloaks occasionally - when he was curious and young he was a fool to not try to sneak a peak - of a vampire running off from the village in the dead of night.

Yet nothing that struck terror into him.

He wasn’t _opposed_ to his sacrifice - marrying off to a vampire - they did it every few decades and being an immortal being himself he had many years to go in his lifetime.

But, he was opposed to having a lover not fit to his standards.

Chanyeol knew what he had to offer, he knew the status he had and the life he could have had with any lover he wanted.

He in no way wanted a lover disturbing nor hideous - selfish, he knew, but it was the truth.

And yet here he was, getting just that.

“It’s an honor, son,” He heard his father praise in his ear, a hand combing his hair.

Chanyeol sighed and kept his shoulders straight, “Indeed, an _honor.”  
_

******

The home of the vampires really wasn't in their village, but a journey across the hills into a colder land.

Vampires tended to keep to their own people, to stick in groups and spend their time around humans more so than any other creatures.

The obvious reasoning being they were food, they were traveling sustenance for vampires.

Little creatures that carried disease and filth and Chanyeol couldn't fathom why vampires had to deal with them to survive.

Of course there were things people had to do to survive - vampires kept their own and humans closer than all, elves tended to keep only to themselves in general.

Well, that wasn’t exactly true, being the son of a knight he'd seen the furry faces of werewolves and the evil sneers of banshees.

Still, no _vampire._

Or at least not that he had known of.

Yet as he was riding in the back of the carriage through the village, the village of vampires and humans alike late at night, he couldn’t tell who was who.

_Perhaps vampires weren’t so disgusting?_

_Perhaps they weren’t frightening._

Chanyeol didn’t know and chose to believe perhaps it just wasn't late enough for vampires to be out - chose to believe all he was seeing was simply humans working until nightfall and prostitutes circling the fountain in the center of town.

He'd never left his own village before, and was very impressed with the decor of this one - it was gold and marble, even the cobblestone was colored and as an elf his village knew colors.

He knew the brightness of colors like that of his light pink hair and _gold_ was an enchanting color.

Vampires at least knew decor, he mused.

The son of the Vampire Lord was well older than him, so Chanyeol actually didn’t mind the old fashioned style of gothic arches of the town. It fit well.

Yet, the _new_ Vampire Lord's home was unexpected.

He expected wealth. A huge estate filled with servants and gardeners as his home had been - a half circle built in the ground and molded around the earth.

Of course that was of elven style though - not vampire.

So the Byun household was grand, it did have the servants outside watering red roses and a black fence and it _was_ a decent sized home.

But not _a palace._

Chanyeol was underwhelmed truthfully, and that thought made him laugh at himself.

“Would you bring my bags to the door?” He requested, gathering his wool robe to place on, licking over his lips as he climbed from the carriage.

“Of course, sir.” The stagecoach said instantly.

Chanyeol gathered his nerves and stepped foot onto vampire land, looking at the odd colored white trees being trimmed by who he could only assume were humans.

Quickly, he was learning his views weren’t right as he approached the red double doors of the house.

It felt eerie, to be in a place where creatures his people had horror stories of resided. 

To be sent off and wed to one of them.

Chanyeol still had mixed feelings, he felt entitled and a bit angered because he felt he deserved to choose a husband on his own. 

There was nothing to do but accept though, and he was assuming the Vampire Lord to feel exactly the same as him - having such a thing thrown onto him too.

He was learning rather fast not to make assumptions though, because the door was tossed open and what greeted him was no feral beast.

The Vampire Lord didn’t have blood staining his clothes nor was he dressed in cold outfits, he wasn’t inhuman looking nor the product of nightmares.

In fact, the Lord was rather human should Chanyeol have to say.

Lord Byun’s skin was pale, he was dainty and small, he was adorned with small flower shaped pendants on his satin shirt and long tan bottoms that touched the floor.

There was nothing scary about him unless one was afraid of beauty and disarrayed black hair.

He was too shocked to move - all his life he’d been preparing to meet a beast, to hide away and hate his husband for cruelty and disgusting looks.

Chanyeol truthfully felt endeared by the man, his red lips seemed stained that way and he watched as the vampire frantically gasped and was twisting to grab something hidden behind the door.

Even his driver sounded shocked as Chanyeol heard the elf release a surprised noise as he placed his luggage on the porch.

“Elven Lord,” The vampire said before he was returning to the doorway, a fresh bouquet of flowers of many, many colors in his grip; it was entirely different than only the small, few different colored roses he’d seen thus far. “I hope these make you feel more at home, please come into your new home.”

Stiff with shock, Chanyeol couldn't recall even reaching out to receive the beautiful flowers, but they were in his hand quickly.

“Would you be a dear and bring those into the house?” Chanyeol watched with shock as the vampire stepped barefooted onto his porch and leaned down to address the stagecoach worker, “There is payment beside the door, you’re welcome to it before you go.”

Not aggressive? Even kind in fact.

Chanyeol practically couldn’t hold his jaw shut.

“Now!” Lord Byun twisted around and his shirt tightened to his waist at the movement. What a lithe form he had as he beamed prettily and came back into the home, “I’ve made you many things, my flower. Come, come.”

Chanyeol swallowed hard at the nickname that filled his chest with an unreadable feeling, eyeing around the fixtures of the rooms as he went.

Many fireplaces were on, every single one he walked passed was on and it led him to wonder if it was on purpose granted vampires had no surface temperature to keep warm.

Perhaps he was over thinking.

Yet, he felt not when Baekhyun led him into a formal dining room filled to the top with freshly cooked food. Duck, turkey, sweets, and bread.

His mouth watered as the vampire pulled out a seat at the head of the table and gestured towards it, “Many years I’ve been perfecting meals, please let me know how things are.”

Of course - vampires didn’t eat.

Chanyeol was growing more confused by the second.

“Normally elves do not eat alone,” Chanyeol spluttered, setting his flowers down on the table and taking the seat, swiftly looking up at Baekhyun.

Honestly, he didn’t want to stop looking at Byun Baekhyun, the Vampire Lord.

He was striking.

Baekhyun’s face dulled, it hollowed out and there was a shift to the vampire's expression as he backed off from the chair and looked down at the food with a scolding expression, “Of course. Of course. I…. I should find a human to come an- I’ll be swift - give me a moment and-“

“Perhaps just… sit.” Chanyeol interrupted quietly, something inside of him unable to stand the turmoil on Baekhyun’s soft face. “It would make me feel more comfortable.”

As if never upset, Baekhyun pulled his lips into a boxy smile once more, taking a spot to his right and leaning his chin onto his palms to look at Chanyeol’s profile.

It almost seemed endearing. Fond.

It was a bit awkward and Chanyeol had to keep his blush down when his stomach rumbled and he reached over to begin gathering items - so many to choose from he hoped the leftovers would be given to the human staff outside because it was too much even for him.

“I have read that elves are small creatures.” Baekhyun spoke up moments later, “I suppose my perspective has changed. Books must not do your diversity justice. It’s lovely, you are lovely to see.”

The compliments definitely were not helping his chest race and he knew it was a fact that vampires could hear that - proven when Baekhyun twisted his head to eye the side of his neck.

He supposed it was supposed to be a sweet action perhaps because the vampire didn’t try to hide what he was looking at for even a moment, eyes on his pulse as if it was something precious.

Vampires were much more complicated than Chanyeol expected.

“Of course I assume vampires may be diverse too,” Chanyeol mumbled, shifting over to pluck some petals from his flowers.

He saw Baekhyun make a confused face, watching his long fingers separate the petals and Chanyeol found the look cute.

That or it was how adorned he was in flowers, in the nature of elven people and not vampires that made him look so much more elegant.

“It is tradition,” He whispered, tearing the petals into small pieces, “Towards the end of a day, you thank Mother Nature for anything you would like. I am thanking her for a wonderful meal.”

Baekhyun released a small gasp, shifting onto his knees in his chair and looking entirely informal considering they had only just met, grasping a petal of his own and copying Chanyeol with very skillful fingers and creating a small pile of orange petals on the oak table.

“I will thank her for a romantic marriage, Lord Chanyeol.”

  
***

Chanyeol spent many days in his room at first.

Not intentionally, but truthfully the journey had been rough on him and it had been the longest he’d gone ever - so he slept.

He slept so much his days were reversed and he found himself up and about late at night, very much unlike himself.

It was proving a chance for him to learn more of vampires though as he took a chance to search the home and his bedroom was the only one of it's kind.

The only bedroom.

The other rooms were all books, trophies, artifacts, storage rooms with plenty of seating but no beds.

He found it so strange, had originally considered that his husband whom he was learning was very sweet, had given up his own room.

But he knew now it was because vampires didn’t sleep.

They didn’t rest really.

At least Chanyeol could tell now that Baekhyun was not sleeping - the vampire relaxing back against the arm of a lounge chair with eyes shut but fingers dancing against his thigh.

Chanyeol had been watching for a bit, watching him rest and twiddle fingers and now he was watching a book come from across the room and Baekhyun’s eyes popping open to accept the floating book, the corner of his mouth pulled up as he turned to acknowledge him, “You are welcome into any room, dear Chanyeol.”

“I… have a gift like that also,” He stumbled in an attempt to not seem like he’d been caught spying, drifting into the study to take the lounge chair opposite the vampire beside the fireplace.

“May I see it?” There was excitement in Baekhyun’s voice as he leaned over his own lap.

Chanyeol smiled a bit and turned his palm upwards, shifting to the edge of his chair as he began to sprout vines around his knuckles, “It is not nearly as impressive and not very strong, but it is rare and hard to control.”

Baekhyun gasped quietly, climbing out of his seat and before Chanyeol knew it there was an icy hand grasping his to turn it around, pale fingers stroking the vines and shaking his head in absolute shock. “What a bright gift.”

He didn’t know if the vampire meant literally, as in colorful, or just as in a clever gift, but Chanyeol was too busy watching Baekhyun’s skin touch his.

For someone frozen in time, his skin was awfully soft.

At the lack of response, Baekhyun must have realized and removed his hand, tucking it into his own top with a shamed expression. “I apologize, we tend to be freezing. It must be a shock to your system. I tend to… forget others are sensitive to such things.”

A lie when Chanyeol knew the fireplaces were lit for him and Baekhyun made sure blankets rested in every room - if not for Chanyeol, then who possibly would make use of them?

“I don’t mind.” The elf whispered, in fact he quite liked the feeling and very slowly reached over to touch Baekhyun’s bare arm.

It was still just as cold, as icy, but Chanyeol was dressed warmly with a fireplace at his side so he didn’t feel frozen at all.

“Your body is… fragile I hear.” He added.

Baekhyun giggled and the noise was just as adorable as his smile when Chanyeol looked at him, “Elves know odd things about us it seems.”

Chanyeol chuckled too, curling fingers around Baekhyun’s hand when the vampire removed it from his top, simply allowing him to look it over.

He didn’t have blue veins as Chanyeol did, he didn’t have the circulating blood.

Baekhyun was just pale and his skin clear.

Chanyeol wanted to ask of a vampire's weakness - if the only way to kill them was true - but it felt too much.

Even if Baekhyun didn’t hide at all how happy he was about their arranged marriage, they still had yet to learn much other than basics.

“So please be gentle,” Baekhyun spoke up with a soft noise when Chanyeol grasped his hand tightly, “My bones are fragile.”

He knew. He’d heard of vampires and their fragile limbs.

For immortal beings, he found they were awfully easy to kill or harm.

Odd, when they were said to be such dangerous creatures and yet Baekhyun truthfully hadn’t shown an ounce of it.

Then again, neither of them had been alive during the times of wars hundreds of years ago and so much had changed and integrated that it felt irrelevant to hold a hatred for a creature that had no direct reign then.

“You believe I would hurt you?” Chanyeol asked, keeping all expressions from his face.

“It would be easy to.” Baekhyun mumbled quietly, “I do not believe in violence and I’m in your hold.”

That didn’t sit well with him even if Baekhyun hadn’t said he believed he would harm him - only that he could should he want to.

That was true.

And they were married, Chanyeol could do as he wished with his husband. He could treat him as he wanted and Baekhyun would heal within the night with no signs of abuse.

Chanyeol couldn't possibly do so, no matter the circumstances he came here hopeful of someone he could enjoy being with.

And Baekhyun certainly was nothing that would scare him away - not in looks, not in personality - Chanyeol had seen more elves with disgusting behavior and faces than this Vampire Lord.

“Come.”

Chanyeol gently pulled him into his lap, a quiet gasp falling from Baekhyun’s mouth as he caught himself with a palm on his chest, “But you’ll get cold.”

The elf smiled and shook his head, taking a moment to collect a blanket from the arm of the chair he was in to drape around Baekhyun’s shoulders, “Now, rest more.”

It felt offensive to cover him up like that, but right now the night air was cold.

In the future, when it wasn’t so cold and he wasn’t so tired he would try again with Baekhyun’s bare skin on his until he grew used to it.

After all, he couldn’t have a husband he couldn’t even touch.

“I do not rest.” Baekhyun muttered, resting his cheek against the softness of Chanyeol's robe with a small, shy smile.

Chanyeol hummed and leaned back in the chair more, an arm around a blanket covered hip to keep the vampire in his lap, “How tiring that must be, my Lord, you should make up your own dreams and tell me until I fall asleep.”

“You’re something strange, my flower.”

***

“I was told of this arrangement at such a young age.”

Chanyeol hummed at that, watching the vampire move from one side of the kitchen to the other, excitement in his smile while the elf had tiredness in his own - only having just woken up.

Of course Baekhyun had little to do during the nights though, so he was greeted with dishes being cooked even this early in the morning.

“When I was young, I was raised by a human woman, I… I lost her years back, but she’s taught me many things seeing as I’d be needing it… for an elven lover.”

Chanyeol smiled for a moment at the end part before registering and frowning, “I’m sorry to hear that, dear. She sounds interesting and I’d have loved to meet her.”

Baekhyun turned around with flour on his cheek and a small smile, “It’s okay. You know… the issue is humans don’t stay alive very long here, and she was elderly… I always knew she’d leave.”

“You didn’t try to change her?”

The bowl in the vampires grip clattered and Chanyeol sat straighter when Baekhyun turned around with an unneeded deep inhale and held the counter with his spine pressing against it. “I would never.”

The elf was worried at the intense look on Baekhyun’s face as the vampire stared at the cabinets on the island before he sucked in another breath and met the elf’s worried eyes. “I only mean…. I’d never wish for a human to live a life of loneliness like this.”

Chanyeol’s face dropped at the tone and as Baekhyun turned to go back to his pans.

He’d never heard or seen the other look so worked up, and of course he understood. He understood Baekhyun didn’t have as many people as he had when growing up - Chanyeol was raised by a village and the Vampire Lord was raised in only his home.

He didn’t understand much of vampires, but he did understand they weren’t very community oriented people.

The vampires listened, of course they listened to the Lord, but like Chanyeol, Baekhyun was very new to the title, and the elf had been doing much reading of their traditions to understand the vampire more.

A celebration was coming soon, one where he and his husband were required to attend and accept gifts from the townspeople, to celebrate a full three hundred years of prosperity and peace between their races.

Chanyeol hoped it would cheer Baekhyun up some and show him that he did have others of his kind that weren’t devastated with immortality.

Elves certainly weren’t when they had Mother Nature to care for them, but vampires didn’t have such things at all.

Baekhyun placed pans in the oven and as swift as he was Chanyeol was still able to reach out and catch his waist, bringing the vampire into his chest and smiling into his temple when Baekhyun grinned down at his feet and held onto his forearm.

“You aren’t lonely, or do I need to squeeze harder to remind you?”

The room rang with laughter as Baekhyun twisted to hug his neck, standing between his legs, “That is why I have been looking forward to this marriage for such a long time.”

That much was more than obvious. It was shown in so many ways, in all the different things Baekhyun knew of elves.

It made Chanyeol feel guilty.

He pressed a small kiss below Baekhyun’s ear, the vampire sitting back with such a pretty smile that it only made him feel even more guilty as he carefully lifted Baekhyun to sit onto the countertop in front of him.

Baekhyun was more than beautiful. He spent many years of his existence perfecting food for him, learning how to keep the house warm for him, creating an entire bedroom for him.

Baekhyun spent years with humans simply to learn more of food and empathy and Chanyeol had spent merely a week dreading and feeling sorry for himself having to marry what he thought would be a demon in the flesh.

Of course he was guilty when he found it very much was more an angel he was graced with than a demon, something so small and so extremely fragile he worried of Baekhyun breaking a bone even just making him breakfast.

Just because he was a body frozen, didn’t mean Baekhyun couldn’t feel pain.

“Well, then no need to look forward when I am right here, snowflake.” Chanyeol cooed, cupping a cold cheek and pressing a kiss to the opposite one.

Baekhyun’s skin didn’t feel as cold against his lips, as if it absorbed his warmth for a moment and allowed him to kiss him without worry of the temperatures.

Chanyeol wondered if it would work on the rest of his skin too.

“Still, I look forward to when you wake up daily.” Baekhyun laughed to himself, clutching the collar of Chanyeol's top with an embarrassed grin, “I was so worried you would be hateful of me, to be forced into this and yet I… I can’t be more relieved. We will have to learn to love each other a very long time and it is much easier to be accepting.”

Chanyeol chewed on his lip in thought, wondering if it was worth telling Baekhyun originally he had held a bit of irritation at the marriage.

But it felt worthless, meaningless now.

He just smiled and used his gift behind Baekhyun’s shoulder to create a small rose, one that matched the purple in the vampire's top.

“I believe that learning to love each other has been going quite easily, no?” He asked slyly, grasping the flower to place behind Baekhyun’s ear, fingers lingering over the shell of his ear.

The vampire gasped and reached up to feel what it was, beaming ear to ear when he realized before he leaned over to hide in Chanyeol's shirt giggling; he would be blushing if he could.

Chanyeol just smiled and hugged his shoulders, pressing a kiss to the crown of his head as Baekhyun laughed happily.

***

_“Now it's time to say good night, good night, sleep tight. Now the sun turns out his light, good night, sleep tight. Dream sweet dreams for me…”_

Chanyeol released a snort at the soft singing and the gentle hand combing through his hair, he had been asleep until the soft coddling awoke him.

Of course the cause only being the sweetest of beings that came crawling into his bedroom.

He opened his eyes to meet soft brown ones, Baekhyun instantly placing an excited grin on his face when he noticed him awake.

As if he hadn’t been treating him like a sleeping baby not even a moment before.

Still, how could Chanyeol be upset when he was greeted with the cutest smile and Baekhyun curled up over the covers beside him, obviously having grown tired of whatever he had been doing tonight.

That was plenty fine, Chanyeol wasn’t one to get upset when he didn’t rest much anyway, and Baekhyun deserved so much attention,

“I didn’t have a chance to dream for you, lovely creature.” Chanyeol said in a deep tone.

Baekhyun giggled and shifted closer to press a peck to his lips, one tiredly accepted with Chanyeol's hand coming to clasp his cheek and petting his skin.

He tasted slightly iron like and Chanyeol found he didn’t mind as much these days about his feeding - only the circumstances of it.

He’d come to learn only days ago of the human blood donors, those that became obsessed with the feeling of being fed on.

Something about it bothered him and he couldn’t bring himself to watch even if Baekhyun encouraged it.

Likely the lustful gaze the girl that arrived sent his husband, the wobbly legs she walked out with.

For Baekhyun, it wasn’t sexual, he knew as much, his husband had been content and full as he curled into his side only seconds after.

But just the idea of his husband giving someone else pleasure - even if it wasn’t his fault or purpose - made him kiss Baekhyun harder, careful of being too harsh as he held the back of his neck and felt the vampire's fangs drift over his bottom lip.

“I’m sorry I woke you up,” Baekhyun pouted once he pulled away, petting pink curls off Chanyeol's ear and snuggling closer.

Baekhyun was always too anxious about making him cold though, and Chanyeol was well over worrying about that and kissed his cheek before lifting the blanket up, “Just come here, my little love bug.”

His husband smiled widely and hurried beneath the blankets, snuggling into his bare chest and quickly going back to petting over his pulse.

Chanyeol understood his infatuation more now, that it was a sign of endearment - Baekhyun was worshipping him in a place only vampires would consider precious.

The pulse was where their blood flowed strongest after all, and it was where Baekhyun liked to touch, to feel, to look after, to protect.

“Are you still hungry, sweetness?”

Baekhyun looked confused as he met his eyes, licking his lips unintentionally and kissing his jaw, “Do not worry, my flower. Such things are unimportant.”

Chanyeol frowned down at him for such a comment, of course it was important so his lover wouldn’t become sick.

Starvation wasn’t much better than being staked - the only way a vampire could die - and it worried him as he didn’t see Baekhyun having humans over nearly enough.

“I want you to drink from me from now on.”

Baekhyun jolted, shifting onto his elbow with lips parted without words and shaking his head.

“Sh,” Chanyeol hushed and smoothed a hand down his cheek, “Elf blood is sweeter. Will keep you full longer. You know it, and I do too - I cannot continue with the humans coming in and out, lovely. I… I am not a jealous lover, but there are elements of you I want to keep for myself.”

“It is not…I am not satisfied by them,” Baekhyun argued softly, a small frown on his face at Chanyeol's admission, “Of course I am only satisfied with you.”

The elf reached up to press a kiss to Baekhyun’s nose, slightly relieved but unrelenting, “I want to experience it. If you do not feel satisfied then we do not need to try again, Baekhyun. Compromise with me, dear.”

Baekhyun sighed although he didn’t look like he wanted to argue, fingers dancing along Chanyeol's pulse before he sat up and was pushing the covers back.

“Sit up, love, I’ll try not to make a mess.”

Chanyeol beamed and moved to sit against the headboard, “Also, your voice is beautiful, like a little singing dove.”

Baekhyun smiled shyly, twisting his linen top between his fingers before removing it all together.

The elf raised a brow at the move, leaning over to collect his husband and earning embarrassed laughter as Baekhyun was pulled into his lap, “You remove clothes to feed?”

“Only for you,” Came the soft response, Baekhyun curling his arms around Chanyeol's neck as the elf looked at his bare skin.

Even under clothes Baekhyun was like porcelain, skin pale and untouched, fragile.

He didn’t know if this is what Baekhyun intended - for him to be distracted - but Chanyeol was when the sharpness of teeth went through his skin at his pulse, gasping and digging hands into Baekhyun’s hips before realizing he could potentially hurt him.

Baekhyun groaned into his neck then and as the vampire started gulping, shuffling closer over his hips Chanyeol was caught off guard by the moan that left his own throat.

He could see now why vampires weren’t harmed during feeding despite being so vulnerable.

The bite was like an aphrodisiac and he instantly was throwing his head down into Baekhyun’s hair and breathing heavier, raising his hips to grind them into the vampire's.

Baekhyun moaned too, unlikely from the feeding and more so from the rutting because Chanyeol felt him reaching between them to untie his pajama bottoms blindly.

Even when Baekhyun stopped gulping, instead licking up the trail of blood pooling in his collarbones and rolling his hips down onto Chanyeol's, the elf didn’t feel any less turned on.

His length was throbbing and it suddenly felt uncomfortable to be wearing any clothing at all.

Baekhyun being freezing cold hardly mattered when he was on fire.

He grunted into Baekhyun’s hair, gathering up the vampire to flip him over onto his back in the blankets.

Perhaps Chanyeol should be disturbed by the sight - the blood gathering around Baekhyun’s chin and his fangs that still poked out of his mouth, his eyes tinted red.

But he couldn’t relate the word vampire to disturbing at all anymore.

“Consummate with me?” The vampire requested softly, a slight blood caused flush to his face and it was such a pretty sight.

Chanyeol wanted to see him with more color on his cheeks more often, and vowed to himself he’d make it happen.

“The day someone says no to you, will be their last day alive, dearest.”

Baekhyun smiled fondly, endearingly as he pulled Chanyeol's bare chest down to his, hooking legs around the elfs thighs and pressing a bloodied kiss to his nose, “That’s quite violent for an elf to say.”

“I’m an elf in love with a vampire, a little blood doesn’t frighten me.”

***

“And there it is, what a gathering, little dove.”

Baekhyun laughed and even outside it somehow rang in Chanyeol's mind, their hands swinging between them until the vampire gently unclasped them to stand on his toes.

Chanyeol's hands instantly came to grab his hips to steady him as Baekhyun adjusted the winter cap over his ears and kissed his red cheek.

It was quite cold out, nothing that some gloves and heavy clothing couldn’t fix and Chanyeol would be damned to allow his husband to come out to the celebration alone.

Not Baekhyun who was absolutely gorgeous, a wrapping, magnificent golden robe around his form even if he was immune to the cold - Chanyeol knew such outfits were for him, because even if he knew Baekhyun wouldn’t get sick he still internally worried over him in that way.

“It is simple,” Baekhyun chirped, wrapping his hand around Chanyeol's to tug him along, “We only sit, we speak and accept their gifts.”

“Sounds simple,” The taller hummed, playfully spinning the vampire under his arm.

If not in the vampire village and walking under streetlights he would have tossed him over his shoulder to run around more playfully.

At that thought he wished they had stayed home to play instead, but it was nice to come out every once in a while.

“Lord Byun!”

Suddenly there were a bunch of children circling their legs and Chanyeol laughed at their small hands tugging Baekhyun’s robe rather informally.

An older man was storming over and it made him laugh louder at the look of irritation on his face.

Truthfully, if not for being dressed as if it were summer and having red eyes he wouldn’t know these children as anything different than human ones.

“Lord Byun! You said we could play together-“

“Jongin! You release him now!”

Baekhyun laughed loudly and was bending down to accept the smallest of the bunch into his arms whilst a slightly bigger one whined and tried to hide under the edge of Baekhyun’s robe.

“It’s okay, Minseok. The children are no issue,” Baekhyun cooed, bouncing the small toddler in his arms and turning to look up at Chanyeol, “Sehunnie, would you like to say hello to my husband?”

“Elp!” Came a shrill exclamation before little arms were gathering around Chanyeol's calf and he looked down at the owl eyed boy who smiled wide, “Elp, hi!”

“Hi, little biter.”

“Kyungsoo! Yah! You can’t just-“ The man looked like he was going to have a fit and Chanyeol just chuckled and knelt down onto his knees.

Instantly the boy and the one he recalled as Jongin were ooing and rushing over to him with interest. “Aren’t you so cute? I must look so interesting to you, hm?”

Jongin ooed and nodded while Kyungsoo clasped a small hand around his ear and Chanyeol just laughed as the two stared and touched his hair.

It must be strange for them, seeing colored hair.

Chanyeol playfully wrapped Jongin's little hand in a small vine and the boy squealed shrilly - vampire children really weren’t unlike elven children at all, still amazed at such simple things.

“My love,” There was a gentle hand being placed onto his head and Chanyeol knew what it meant but truthfully, he did want to stay with the kids a little longer, he’d never seen a vampire child before and was interested. “We must take our seats, my Lord.” Baekhyun whispered regretfully, combing fingers through his hair.

“We can play more,” Chanyeol said surely when Kyungsoo's face scrunched up at Baekhyun’s words, tapping the boys nose, “I’m sure we can figure something out, sweetheart.”

“Of course, Minseok was my favorite warrior, his children are always welcomed.”

Chanyeol raised brows at that, standing up and sending a smile to the man, wishing he had more words to say to someone Baekhyun seemed to care greatly for, “We’ll have to meet more personally.”

“Of course,” The man was juggling the toddler on his hip, the boy shoving fingers into his mouth and giggling to himself with crescent shaped eyes as he looked at Chanyeol’s hair. “Could always use help with these monsters, Baekhyun is wonderful with children.”

He supposed he’d need to learn more of them, but Baekhyun was tugging him towards a pair of seats in the center of the village, beside a fountain with stalls all around and a line of people waiting with guards keeping them in check when they started to cry for Baekhyun’s attention.

Chanyeol didn’t have much attention to give, still thinking over Minseok's words.

It made sense that his husband would love children, and from the other’s words he wondered if he’d lost his wife and needed the help.

Baekhyun would love for something to do while Chanyeol slept nights away.

“You do not need to speak,” Baekhyun said over the commotion, gently pushing his arm towards his seat and leaning over to cup his chin. “It will be quite boring for you, my flower, but it’s just one day for my people and then back to the routine.”

“I suppose I have more than enough of your attention daily, I can spare one day.”

Baekhyun laughed and pressed a kiss to his mouth, Chanyeol wanted to tug him down for more but the vampire was pulling away with a gentle smile to walk over to the awaiting people.

Chanyeol sighed as soon as he was watching his husbands back as he accepted gifts and shared words with them, the seat beside him was empty but he knew Baekhyun was too kind to just accept so impersonally all while seated on a throne.

There were already guards walking back and forth, passing off objects to load up and deliver to Baekhyun’s home.

He had no idea where they would put all of it.

His eyes wandered around before he spotted Minseok at a stand nearby, it seemed he was working at it as it hung right below a place labeled orphanage.

Chanyeol's heart sank at his own fast assumptions of the man's children. Of course, they didn’t even look similar.

How sad.

Baekhyun never said he couldn’t leave his seat, and Chanyeol supposed vampires certainly weren’t interested in him being what he was and was standing up to walk over.

“- yes and then Luhan will be able to take care of them on-“

“Oh, there’s another one?”

Chanyeol saw Minseok's eyes go huge and the man beside him looked equally as surprised.

“Oh- Elven Lord - oh my-“

“Junmyeon, calm down, it is only Baekhyun’s husband, surely he’s not too formal,” Minseok laughed and Chanyeol snickered also.

They must be very close seeing as all other vampires didn’t say anything but Lord regarding Baekhyun.

“There is another baby?” Chanyeol asked, leaning over the stall to look at a fourth child, slightly older than the others and walking around chewing on a sugar stick.

It took him a moment to register that the other was eating something and he gasped before leaning over more, “Can I see him?”

“He was left to us two years ago,” Junmyeon said softly, “Found on the edge of town and we suspected a werewolf had attacked his mother, we never found out as he doesn’t speak much.”

Chanyeol frowned deeply as Minseok stood the toddler on the stall counter.

He was maybe three or four judging by his size, yet the prettiest of dimples sunk into his cheeks and he had nothing but hands out to be held when Chanyeol looked down at him.

Either he was friendly, or he recognized his kind.

“Hello, tiny one,” Chanyeol cooed, giving over his finger for the boy to hold onto and the elf toddler gave a happy squeal behind his sweet.

“Yixing is very kind,” Minseok sighed, “It’s just hard given… he’s elven and the others are not. Just last week he’d scraped a knee and it was a war inside the house.”

Chanyeol could only imagine when the house was full of baby vampires and elf blood was more than nutritious for them.

“He doesn’t seem to mind much, I don’t feel that’s he’s unhappy,” Chanyeol assured, resting a hand to Yixing’s chest for a second.

Minseok perked up, “You can feel that?”

“Sort of,” The elf murmured, “We are Mother Nature's children, all connected so in a way I can tell. It’s complicated to explain.”

Chanyeol could tell they felt incompetent, that they were unsure of the elven child’s happiness. It was sad, but he could understand how frightful it must be. “I’m musing if my love would be interested in-“

Chanyeol didn’t get to finish before there was a shrill shrieking scream of a woman and guards were shouting.

He hadn’t ever heard any chaos going on in the village before, yet there was screaming and his first instinct was Baekhyun was over there.

He placed Yixing carefully closer to Minseok and felt guilty when the boy reached out to him again, likely seeking more attention, as he turned to burst towards the scene.

Guards seemed to have their hands full as three were restraining a man, the others that had been waiting to give Baekhyun gifts were hovering and screaming in shock and more guards pushed them back.

Because Baekhyun was on the ground on his side, gasping.

“Move! Move!” Chanyeol hissed and shoved through, much larger than most of the other vampires so it was easy, sprinting to Baekhyun’s side.

His husband had his eyes filled with tears, gasping for unneeded breath and Chanyeol had never seen vampire blood before, but it ran black.

It was running black onto the concrete and Baekhyun was lying at a weird angle, his fall could only lead Chanyeol to conclude some of his fears had happened as his husband lay with broken bones.

“Oh, dear - sh, sh, lovely boy. My love.” Chanyeol cried, working arms beneath Baekhyun and his husband yelled and screamed, shaking as he was jostled.

He never knew vampires would hurt like this.

He could only assume the guards yelling of jailing the man in their grip meant he was the cause and his jaw set with anger, teeth gritted even though he knew no doubt the guards were breaking some of that man's bones just restraining him.

At least he deserved it.

“This will be fixed, it will be fixed, sweetness,” Chanyeol soothed, holding Baekhyun so his nose could rest in his neck to comfort him a bit more although he knew the other must be in excruciating pain. “I will take care of you, hold on, my dove.”

***

Baekhyun laid in bed a full week, doctors had come by only minutes after their carriage arrived home to set his bones and stitch where they’d gone through skin.

It had been an awful shove Chanyeol had read when reading the newspaper the next morning, letting Baekhyun pretend to sleep it off in the crook of his arm.

Of course Baekhyun couldn’t sleep, he still couldn’t move much, he was sore all over.

Chanyeol hated every moment of it because it could have been prevented.

“He said I was to wed a noble born vampire, I said I’m sorry but I’m in love, and I was granted a hip fracturing push.”

“There is absolutely nothing wrong with what you said, he should be given the highest of punishments!” Chanyeol hissed, gathering covers to lean Baekhyun up, “I disagree with your choice this time, Baekhyun.”

“He didn’t mean it,” The vampire whispered, grasping Chanyeol's shoulder with a wince to sit up, “It was an emotional response. Not everyone is as accepting of alliances as we thought.”

“He caused you pain! That’s reason enough to imprison him!”

Baekhyun sent him a scolding look and Chanyeol hissed under his breath at it, hating how disappointed the other looked when the truth was he’d fractured nearly the entire side of his body in that shove.

Of course Chanyeol wanted the strictest punishment.

The elf huffed and climbed into the bed, pushing up his sleeve to press his wrist to the others lips and Baekhyun looked even more upset at that.

He knew the other didn’t like to feed from anywhere but his neck, but they’d discovered in other places Chanyeol didn’t become overwhelmed with lust and such behavior right now was unneeded when Baekhyun was bedridden for a few more days.

Well, Chanyeol was forcing him to stay in bed longer just in case.

“Feed, dear. We can talk about that later,” He murmured reluctantly, leaning down to kiss Baekhyun’s ear and use his opposite hand to fix his hair.

“Bossy.”

Chanyeol laughed and kissed along his temple as teeth were inserted into his wrist, Baekhyun’s fingers curled into his hand that he was feeding beside and pet the inside of his palm.

His husband was very soft and adorable and while Chanyeol did love it - and him - he wished Baekhyun would be harder on others.

“You shush, little one,” He cooed playfully, nipping at Baekhyun’s cheek and the vampire squeaked, eyes turning into almonds, “Just eat up so I can hold you for a bit.”

After that comment, it didn’t seem Baekhyun was much interested in feeding because he giggled and started licking over the wound, sealing it with only a few licks before pressing kisses to his skin.

Chanyeol took that as an okay to gently scoot closer, adjusting Baekhyun carefully into his arm to which the vampire was quick to lean up for kisses, lips tinged red.

He had long grown used to iron tasting kisses though, and it truthfully wasn’t bothersome at all, sighing into his lips and trailing gentle fingers down his cheek.

He wished Baekhyun would care a little more about himself rather than everything and everyone else.

“My lovely boy, what to do with you?” Chanyeol mumbled, kissing Baekhyun’s mouth a few times and pressing their noses together.

He knew Baekhyun preferred things that way - very close and personal.

“Don’t be upset with me and just love me.”

Chanyeol sighed although peppering his forehead with kisses, “I am loving you, dove.”

“But you’re upset.”

“Because I love you and I wish you’d be more unforgiving,” He huffed, kissing Baekhyun’s fingers when the vampire brushed them over his face, likely wiping blood from his mouth, “You wouldn’t have such a forgiving stance if that were me.”

Chanyeol felt him stiffen up a little and frowned harder, nosing his cheek when Baekhyun went stone faced and his expression dulled.

“You do not have fragile bones, therefore it is impossible. I wouldn’t allow it.”

He wanted to laugh at the certainty in Baekhyun’s voice, but this was Baekhyun as an angry person, not the normal happy go lucky vampire.

“And I should allow it?” Chanyeol asked carefully, “Because you believe it didn’t hurt me to watch you cry in pain - to hold you and carry your broken body to the carriage? To have you in pain on my lap the entire ride? Were those not tears I cried too?”

“I am a vampire, I have broken limbs before.”

Chanyeol huffed and shuffled back to lay on his back on the bed, throwing his arm across his eyes and seeing that this conversation would not end right anyway.

He knew he was biased - but a person who caused violence deserved punishment and Baekhyun wasn’t seeing it.

“Chanyeol? Love?”

“I’m going to bed now.” He said gruffly.

It took a minute before he felt pressure at his chest and cold running through his shirt to his skin, “You can’t go to sleep upset, my flower. Don’t make me cry.”

Chanyeol sighed and placed his hand down on Baekhyun’s hair where he rested at his chest, “Ten years time,”

“Five.”

“Seven,” Chanyeol said, looking down to see Baekhyun with a small pout.

But, the vampire nodded and traced his collarbone, “Only because I miss being held firmly.”

Smiling, Chanyeol soothed his thumb over Baekhyun’s features, “Just a few more days and I will hold you so much you will try to escape.”

Unlikely and they both knew it, Baekhyun just crinkled up his nose and shifted very slowly to lay his head beside Chanyeol's, a cold hand resting on the elf’s sternum. “Now give me kisses and have sweet dreams for me. I will sing to you, husband.”

“Ah, my sweet little songbird.”

***

Chanyeol was going to never sleep at this rate.

Truthfully, it was entirely unfair for Baekhyun to do this to him.

The vampire was walking back and forth in front of the fireplace, it was well past midnight now and Chanyeol knew the little bundle in his arms had been asleep hours before yet it didn’t stop Baekhyun from coddling at all.

The vampire was adorned with many flowers, many green stems, a vine of small flowers curled around his forearm.

As much as Chanyeol loved to have Baekhyun looking so gentle - it reminded him of the cute pins and jewels he’d worn the night he’d arrived, trying to dress formally to elven culture - but he hadn’t been the cause of all of the gifts.

Most of them, yes, because Yixing liked to copy so Chanyeol had to engage the gift first only for the smallest of replicas to be mimicked like the tiny daisy on Baekhyun’s head.

Covered in flowers like this and dressed in light colors, a pink night dress that was the same color as Chanyeol's hair, the elf could see how easily Baekhyun could fit in as an elf.

If only his skin could get golden and if his hair was a lighter color - perhaps white, that would look beautiful on Baekhyun, but orange also suited his elegant face.

He loved his husband as he was, but reminiscing this way made him warm inside.

Chanyeol sometimes wished Baekhyun was an elf too - only because he simply knew how badly the other hated his own kind of immortality - how hard it was for them to die, how they could inflict immortality on others, how “sickening” it felt to rely on blood for food.

Baekhyun disliked his own kind, yet Chanyeol loved him twice as much to make up for his husband's own distaste.

“...First star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, Have the wish I wish tonight.”

Chanyeol, in general, felt warm even if Baekhyun was physically freezing.

“My love,” He interrupted softly, and evidently Baekhyun hadn’t noticed his eavesdropping because the vampire turned around with the same bright eyed smile he gave when Chanyeol awoke every morning.

Vampires hardly had track of time though, so he doubted the other even knew he’d only rested for an hour.

“He’s well asleep, pretty dove. Why don’t you put him down and rest your throat awhile?”

Baekhyun’s lips parted as if he hadn’t noticed, Yixing’s cheek lulled into his collarbone and the toddler's chest rising and falling, a little arm sticking out of the thick blanket he was encased in. “Oh- Sehunnie was listening.”

Chanyeol resisted the urge to smile at the excuse, leaning over the back of the couch to pet a hand over said vampire baby’s soft hair.

Sehun was still so little, he didn’t even speak yet and only wobbled when he walked, so he’d been a little monster getting into things.

Yet, it was adorable that even vampire children got tired out by the end of a day because Sehun just laid still as if he were asleep.

“Of course he was, sweetness,” Chanyeol cooed, watching Sehun pop an eye open to look at him before almost immediately going back to his resting state with an exaggerated huff. “Let’s put them to lay down now.”

He saw Baekhyun pout and knew the other could definitely spend days simply walking Yixing back and forth, probably even when the elf was wide awake and whining to get down.

But, Baekhyun knew when too much was too much and nodded before drifting down the hall.

“Bed?” Chanyeol asked gently, reaching over to grasp the small body off the couch.

Sehun was really good at pretending to be asleep, flopping down into his chest with a grunt of irritation at being jostled around.

He wondered how long he could keep the baby worn out because it had been a few hours already.

As he carried him down the hall, he wavered for a moment as he set Sehun in the middle of his bed beside a more than covered Yixing.

Baekhyun was just as paranoid about freezing the boy as he had been about doing the same to Chanyeol - at least that thought was a little more rational, but Chanyeol was positive the elf was more than used to it seeing as Sehun turned to crawl right next to him, curling into the blanket and squeezing him.

“Where will you sleep?”

Chanyeol wrapped Sehun up only because he felt children should be bundled and not because the other could feel cold, turning to grab Baekhyun’s hand when he was done to kiss his knuckles as he pulled him out of the door.

“Where I do every night.”

Baekhyun made a confused noise, clutching onto his arm and leaning into his shoulder as Chanyeol pulled them into the study opposite the bedroom.

“With you, lovely. Of course,” Chanyeol crooned, kissing Baekhyun’s cheek before settling onto his back on the lounge, feet hanging off the edge due to his height.

Baekhyun looked concerned at that, hands twisting his gown in his fingers, “You will be sore. You should sleep with the children.”

“There is not enough room for all of us there,” Chanyeol argued, “And you know I have trouble sleeping knowing you’re alone, so come rest with me and we can discuss getting another bed soon.”

With a soft laugh, Baekhyun climbed on top of him, sending chills to Chanyeol's skin yet the elf only smiled and pecked his temple, petting Baekhyun’s bare shoulder blades between his gowns straps.

“I’m too cold for this, we need a blanket.” The vampire murmured, fingers running over goosebumps on Chanyeol's arm.

The elf snickered and grabbed his chin to peck his lips multiple times, “Oh you hush and stop worrying over me for one second.”

“Why do you continue to ask impossible things of me?”

“You’re the most amazing person I’ve ever met.”

Baekhyun released a soft noise at the sudden topic change, shifting to press his cheek into Chanyeol's collarbone with a sigh, “We seem to always think the same things about each other.”


End file.
